I have been re-reading Brett Webb-Mitchell’s book titled Beyond Accessibility: Toward Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Faith Communities lately. I am struck by his argument that congregation’s must experience an evolution in their conversations about accessibility and move toward a vision of the community of God that includes all people. One thing that is compelling about the vision that he lays out in the book is that it calls houses of worship beyond where they are to where they need to be. I would be happy to discuss the book more if that is helpful, but I want to move from a discussion of the text to a specific conversation that Webb-Mitchell cites at the beginning of the book.
The conversation is with a man named Rich who says, “people react weird to people with disabilities like me. They act like disability is something they can catch, like it’s infectious” I read the quote from Rich and I am struck by the ways that knowledge of the “other” casts out fear and creates opportunities for empathy.
I was having a conversation with an Episcopal Priest a couple of weeks ago when he said, “All of the significant opportunities for growth that I have experienced in my life have been opportunities that came about in encounters wit difference. I learn the most when I encounter people who are not like me.” This conversation offers me a great deal of hope about what is possible as we educate people in faith communities about people with disabilities. Please notice that I did not say as we educate people in faith communities about disabilities. The education we do must engage congregations in hearing and learning about PEOPLE who happen to have disabilities. IDN’s ongoing efforts at education and continued engagement must tell the stories of PEOPLE.
The reason I am so disheartened when I read and hear quotes like the one from Rich above is because quotes like that reveal that by and large people in communities just don’t know what they need to know in order to be able to engage people with disabilities as people who are created in the image of the Divine. These are people who have been granted gifts by the Creator. These gifts need to be shared in communities. The sharing of these gifts can and does lead to the healing and transformation of the world (Tikkun Olam)
If what I have written above is true, where do we begin in our efforts to educate our communities? I believe we begin with our religious leaders. I have seen over the years that the support or buy-in form a religious leader can go a long way in opening the door in a congregation’s efforts to engage this vital conversation. I have also seen too many instances to recount, where a religious leader who fails to grasp the power of inclusion makes a family feel unwelcome in a congregation.
IDN and our advocates have so much knowledge, so many resources, so many stories and so much expertise to share with clergy and lay people in congregations. I guess what I would love to know from people with disabilities and the people who love them is this:
What does your faith leader do (or say) that says to you (and others) that your gifts, skills and abilities are welcome in your congregation?
or
What do you wish your faith leader would do (or say) to you (and others) that would communicate that he/she welcomes your gifts, skills and abilities?
